Many organizations use phone interviews to screen applicants, or sometimes as a final step before hiring. You may be asked for a phone interview before an in-person interview, or it may be the only kind of interview possible depending on how far you live from the organization. Phone interviews are different than in-person interviews, and require a different type of preparation in order to feel completely comfortable.

Steps

Part 1

Doing Your Homework Before the Interview

1

Research the organization and the position. Hopefully you already know a little bit about the organization that you’re interviewing for. However, the more you know, the more impressive you’re likely to be as a candidate. This is true whether it’s a job interview, a college admission interview, or anything else.[1]

Visit the organization’s website. Read the mission statement, history, and about the structure of the organization.

Make notes if there’s anything you have questions about. If possible, look things up to help you understand. You’ll sound knowledgeable.

If you know other people who’ve been a part of the organization, ask them about their experience. They might have valuable insights.

There are plenty of websites and online forums where you can find reviews of companies by former employees.

2

Learn what you can about your interviewer. You may not know ahead of time who’s going to interview you. However, if you can find out, this is a trick that can give you an extra leg up.[2]

When setting up the interview, you can casually ask, “Do you know the name of the person who’ll be interviewing me?”

You can try to find the person’s profile on LinkedIn. However, don’t join their network yet.

The company’s website may have bios or profiles of the employees.

3

Make yourself a cheat sheet. One perk of doing a phone interview is that you can have written materials in front of you and your interviewer doesn’t have to know. Write down things you may want to reference or mention from your research.[3]

If the website mentions the company’s values, you may want to refer directly to the language they use. For example, if the mission statement says, “We deliver friendly customer service,” you can write that down so that in the interview you can say, “I firmly believe in friendly customer service.”

Write down important details that will help you sound informed. For example, if the company underwent a merger in 2013, write that down. In the interview, you’ll be able to say something like, “It seems that the board has done a great job growing the company since the merger in 2013.”

4

Prepare questions. Asking questions shows that you’re engaged and thoughtful. Come up with questions for your interviewer and write them down so you don’t forget them.[4]

Make sure your questions are well-informed. For example, if the company’s homepage states clearly that they have plans to expand overseas, don’t ask, “Are there any plans for the company to expand internationally?” This makes it look like you haven’t done your homework.

You can ask questions that demonstrate the research you’ve done. For example, even if your interviewer hasn’t mentioned the expansion, you can say something like, “I’ve read about the plans for international expansion. How do you think that will affect growth opportunities for workers stateside?”

Part 2

Preparing Your Environment for the Interview

1

Plan to call from home. Home is the ideal place to take the call from. You have control over your environment and can feel comfortable being yourself. If you can’t take the call at home, find somewhere else that you can be comfortable. [5]

If you have a landline available, use it. You won’t have to worry about a choppy connection or the phone battery dying.

Ask a friend or family member if you can use their house or private office.

2

Make sure you’ll have plenty of time. Never try to squeeze in an interview if you can avoid it. If the interview is going great, you don’t want to be the one to cut it short. You also don’t want to feel rushed or anxious instead of focusing on the questions.[6]

If the person setting up the interview suggests a time that would be tight for you, let them know. It’s okay to ask for a time that’s more convenient for you.

If the interviewer is very busy they may run late, and the interview might not start on time. Leaving extra time can allow for this.

3

Ensure a quiet environment. In a phone interview, sound is everything. Do everything you can to make sure your home (or wherever you are) will be as quiet as possible. Ask family or roommates to make themselves scarce or to be extra quiet.[7]

Make sure radios, televisions, computers, and alarms are all turned off.

Pets should be somewhere that they won’t be able to make noise or create distractions.

If you have young children, make sure they have a sitter or can be otherwise occupied for the duration of the call.

Some things you can’t control, such as neighbors’ car alarms or music. However, station yourself somewhere in your house where those things are least likely to be a disturbance. If they do become audible during the call, you can say something like, “I’m sorry if you can hear that noise. My neighbor’s car alarm is going off and they aren’t home to silence it.”

4

Make the space comfortable. The more comfortable you are, the more likely you are to ace the interview. Make sure you can be physically comfortable throughout the interview. Of course, you don’t want to take the phone call lying in your bed, but you do want to feel relaxed.[8]

Make sure the temperature is comfortable for you. If you’re too hot or cold, you’ll probably want to get out of the interview quickly.

Set up a place where you can sit comfortably, with good posture, and see your notes in front of you.

Open or close the curtains to let an appropriate amount of light in. Turn on overhead lights if that will help your space feel more lively and keep you alert.

Part 3

Getting Yourself Ready

1

Practice talking on the phone. You may think you have plenty of experience talking on the phone already. However, if you mostly talk on the phone casually to friends, practice speaking in a more business-like tone. Make sure you can be heard and understood clearly.[9]

Ask a friend to do a test call with you. Have them call you, and practice answering in a professional way by saying something like, “Hello, this is ____.”

Ask your friend for feedback. Could they hear you? Did they understand everything you said? Should you try speaking more slowly? Was the reception good?

2

Print out your documents for reference. You might not think you need a copy of your own resume, but it’s a good thing to have in front of you. If your interviewer asks you about a particular job you had, you want to be able to look at the same document they’re looking at for reference.[10]

Try to have a computer or tablet available as well. You’ll be able to look things up or refer to past emails if you need to.

3

Get dressed up. The interviewer won’t be able to see what you’re wearing, but getting dressed will help you feel awake and professional. Dress the same way you would for an interview. You may be surprised how much the feeling of dressing the part translates to the way you present yourself over the phone.[11]

Do take the opportunity to be physically comfortable, however. There’s no need to wear an overly restrictive suit jacket or tight shoes.

4

Take care of yourself the day of. If the interview is midday and you have no obligations before then, try to fill the morning with healthy activities so you’ll be at your best when the interview comes. Don’t use this as an excuse to sleep in until the last possible minute.[12]

Get up with plenty of time.

Exercise or go out for some fresh air.

Take a shower, do your hair, and complete any other personal routines that help you feel ready for the day.

Part 4

Tips

Use the person's name several times during the call, after they introduce themselves. This will show you are professional, courteous and observant.

Smile when you are on the phone. It may improve your confidence and your positive tone throughout the interview.

Ask about the next step. This will let your interviewer know that you are interested in pursuing the job.